Both the architecture and cocktail game at Barri Gotic are strong

While El Born district is known for chic and elegant bars serving pricey cocktails, Barri Gotic (or the Gothic Quarter) is the exact opposite – the low-cost equivalent for a night out.

What you can expect from the bars in Barri Gotic: cheap but quality cocktails with fresh fruit in a bohemian-styled interior. On the other hand, the cocktails at the bars in the El Born district are not always the best (they don’t always use fresh fruit), but the environment is really beautiful.

At Barri Gotic, you cannot miss the following bars: Sor Rita and El Bombón, both of which are located at Carrer de la Mercè, and Nevermind, which is close to Plaza Real.

Sor Rita is an eccentric bar with kitschy decoration that will definitely surprise you, like shoes stuck on the roof and pervert nun portraits on the walls. Make sure you try the cocktail called Sor Raimunda – it’s excellent.

El Bombón is a salsa bar with the best piña coladas worldwide, in my opinion. They make them using freshly cut pineapples and do the whole blend in front of you. You should not miss this little slice of heaven, even if you are not a fan of piña coladas – this one will change even the mind of a man who is used to having his whisky on the rocks. I guarantee that you will fall in love with this cocktail. None of my friends who have tried it didn’t love it; it’s like a fresh and delicious dessert.

To round off your tour of the area, Nevermind is a good last stop option if you have some extra time on your hands. It’s like an underground garage bar with full of skater-style graffiti, and the highlight of this place is their giant ‘sharing’ mojitos that come with multiple straws.

In the Gothic Quarter, you will be amazed by all the architecture, like the Cathedral.

In the Gothic Quarter, you will be amazed by all the architecture, like the Cathedral.

You can always hear street musicians playing on the streets. I especially love to listen to violinists and singers (both opera and modern) – it always makes me feel as if I were under the fairy lights on some Venetian street.

The courtyard of the historical archive of Barcelona. This is just one of the many patios that you will find while strolling along the Gothic streets.

Sor Rita and its eclectic and extravagant decorations. As you can see, the sign on the toilet door says ‘Confessional’, and there are many jokes and proverbs on the walls.

You cannot miss a piña colada at El Bombón. It is so delicious that I cannot stop and have only one. I could drink it all day and night.